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EPA to Help Local Air Agencies Focus on Controllable Air Pollution

Release Date: 03/02/2006
Contact Information: John Millett, (202) 564-4355 / [email protected]

(3/2/06) EPA is proposing a set of procedures to help local air agencies identify and evaluate air quality data that may have been affected by an exceptional, unplanned event such as a fire or destructive storm. Identifying exceptional events will protect the public health by allowing local air agencies to focus their efforts on air pollution emissions they can control.

The proposed rule would:

· ensure that air quality measurements are properly evaluated and characterized with regard to their causes;
· identify reasonable actions that should be taken to address the air quality and public health impacts caused by these types of events;
· avoid imposing unreasonable planning requirements on state, local, and tribal air quality agencies related to violations of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards due to exceptional events; and
· ensure that the use of air quality data, whether afforded special treatment or not, is subject to full public disclosure and review.

EPA will accept public comment on the proposed rule for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register and finalize the rule within one year.

More information: epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t1fs.html